The Wrong Weapon
By Elin Henderson
“…they
said to Him, ‘Lord, shall we strike with the sword?’ And one of them struck the
servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.”
Luke 22:49b-50 (NKJV)
How many times do we seek to defend
our Lord, but sadly pick up the wrong weapon to strike with? Jesus’ disciples in
the Garden of Gethsemane were genuinely trying to defend and help Him. But
impulsive thinking and not understanding the Father’s plan led them to pick up
what was closest at hand and strike out.
Jesus understood the plan of the
Father and used one weapon to defend Himself and the Father: His Word. “It is
written…” was the catchphrase to His weapon of choice. He never used it
impulsively, but wielded it deliberately, carefully and effectively. Satan’s
attempts to tempt Him in the wilderness were met with three quick blows of the
Word. I imagine the Pharisees, time and time again, felt the blade of the Word
of God pierce their hearts with conviction.
It’s not our ability to reason, our
philosophy or our quick wit that helps us defend our Lord and defeat our
enemies. It is knowing how to patiently use our one and only weapon: His Word. Just
as a master swordsman becomes faster and more effective with his blade by
constant practice and study, so also, we need to become expert wielders of the
Word of God - - to have an “It is written…” response in every season.
Our impulsivity and unchecked zeal
can lead us, like the disciples, to grab the wrong weapon and lash out; however,
a restful understanding of the Father’s will, and an intimate knowledge of His
Word, will help us to defend and defeat the enemy.
God’s Word…it’s sharp. It’s powerful.
And it’s effective. Let us wield it carefully and effectively today!
GOING
DEEPER:
1.
What
habits can you put into practice today that will help you become more effective
Weapon wielders?
2.
(GOING REALLY DEEP!) How do you use the Word of God
in defense against those who deny it as being the truth?
FURTHER
READING:
Oakwood’s missionaries Elin
Henderson (a registered nurse) and her husband Phil serve as church planters
with New Tribes in Mozambique, Africa.
Elin is mother to seventeen-year-old Callie and fourteen-year-old Elias.
